Elected Officials and Community Gather at Armenian Assembly’s Annual New Year Event

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:

Contact: Danielle Saroyan Ashbahian

Telephone: (202) 393-3434

Web: www.aaainc.org

 

ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY
GATHER AT ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY’S ANNUAL NEW YEAR EVENT

 

PASADENA, CA – Elected officials and a
cross-section of the Armenian American community of southern California, including
Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) members and supporters, gathered on
January 13 to celebrate the new year at the home of Assembly Southern
California Regional Council (SCRC) member Al and Diane Cabraloff. The
Cabraloffs generously opened their home to over 125 members and guests for an
evening filled with good cheer and delectable food to usher in a new year of
effective advocacy on pro-Armenian issues on Capitol Hill and in California’s
State Capitol in Sacramento.

 

Congresswoman
Judy Chu (D-CA-27), California State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), California
State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-46), and Los Angeles County 5^th
District Supervisor Kathryn Barger participated in the gathering, shared
remarks, and presented certificates of recognition to Al and Diane Cabraloff
for their exemplary work in the Armenian community and in light of their
contributions for the greater good of humanity.

 

“I’m
always pleased to stand with my friends in the Armenian American community. I’m
proud of the strong relationship between the U.S. and Armenia, and I appreciate
the important part the Armenian Assembly of America has played in helping to
promote and strengthen that relationship. I’m committed to continuing that
relationship, including continued support for foreign aid to Armenia, a new
double-tax treaty to encourage growth in both countries, and an official
recognition of the Armenian Genocide which will finally put our country on the
right side of history,” Rep. Chu said. The Congresswoman is a Member of the
U.S. House Appropriations Committee, and a dedicated champion of consistent
U.S. foreign assistance to the Republic of Armenia, as well as continued
humanitarian and de-mining aid to the Republic of Artsakh.

 

“It
was such a pleasure to kick off the New Year with the Armenian Assembly of
America. I am always appreciative of opportunities to spend time with this
terrific organization and its hardworking and caring members. It’s truly an
honor to represent the largest Armenian community in the County of Los
Angeles,” said Supervisor Barger.

 

On
an annual basis during the month of April, Supervisor Barger and fellow supervisors
formally salute Armenian Americans making a positive impact in Los Angeles
County, in addition to officially commemorating the Armenian Genocide, in
partnership with a wide array of community organizations, during a Board of
Supervisors session. Notably, in December 2018, Supervisor Barger spearheaded a
$1 million contribution from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for
the future Armenian American Museum in Glendale, California.

 

State
Senator Portantino chairs the California State Senate’s Appropriations
Committee and serves as the founding Chairman of the State Senate’s Select
Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural
Exchange. In 2018, Senator Portantino secured state funding for six full
scholarships available to American University of Armenia student candidates to
attend the University of California’s Hastings College of Law.

 

State
Assemblymember Nazarian chairs the California State Assembly’s Committee on
Aging and Long-Term Care. In 2017, Assemblymember Nazarian authored the
landmark Divestment from Turkey Act, which received broad, bipartisan support
in both chambers of the California State Legislature.

 

Other
officials and staffers in attendance included California State Assemblymember
Laura Friedman (D-43); Mayor of the City of Pasadena Terry Tornek; the
Honorable Dickran Tevrizian, retired Senior Judge of the United States District
Court for the Central District of California; former California State
Assemblymember Steve Samuelian; Board Member of the Pasadena Unified School
District Roy Boulghourjian; Mary Hovagimian, representing Congressman Adam
Schiff (D-CA-28); Garo Manjikian, representing California State Assemblymember
Chris Holden (D-41); Jack Kayajian, representing City of Los Angeles Attorney
Mike Feuer; Z. Greg Kahwajian, member of the County of Los Angeles Civil
Service Commission; and Harout Semerdjian, member of the City of Los Angeles
Human Relations Commission.

 

Al
and Diane are dedicated members and supporters of the Armenian Assembly. Al is
a long-time member of the Assembly’s SCRC, which regularly meets with elected
officials to educate them on policy priorities for Armenian Americans residing
throughout southern California.

 

During
a brief program, Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan welcomed
Assembly members and guests to the gathering and served as the master of
ceremonies. Assembly Board of Trustees member Lisa Kalustian delivered a
presentation on the Assembly’s advocacy, community outreach, and summer
internship programs’ achievements in 2018, and encouraged attendees to get
involved with the Assembly through membership, volunteerism, and political
activism.

 

Southern
California-based leaders of the Armenian Assembly in attendance at the
gathering included Board of Trustees members Lisa Kalustian and Talin
Yacoubian; SCRC members Flora Dunaians, Helen Haig, Michelle Kezirian, Jim Melikian,
and Margaret Mgrublian; and Orange County Regional Committee members Sosy
Hachigian, Christine Kotchian, and Nicole Nishanian.

 

“The
Armenian Assembly is grateful to Al and Diane Cabraloff for warmly welcoming a
diverse group of members and friends of the Assembly to their beautiful home.
The Cabraloff family’s generous hospitality compounded the positive and
forward-looking vibes permeating at the gathering. The Assembly intends to
harness the constructive energy of the gathering in its advocacy, outreach, and
policy planning work in 2019,” stated Western Region Director Toumajan.

 

Established
in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

 

### 

NR#
2019-003

 

Photo Caption 1: Rep.
Judy Chu (D-CA) with Diane and Al Cabraloff

 

Photo Caption 2: Paul
Hachigian, Dr. Gary Nishanian, Nicole Nishanian, Diane Cabraloff, Lily Balian,
Colette Nishanian, Sosy Hachigian, and Grace Hachigian

 

Photo Caption 3: LA
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger with with Diane and Al Cabraloff

 

Photo Caption 4: CA
State Senator Anthony Portantino with Diane and Al Cabraloff

 

Photo Caption 5: SCRC
member Jim Melikian, OCRC member Nicole Nishanian, SCRC member Flora Dunaians,
SCRC member Michelle Kezirian, Board member Lisa Kalustian, Diane Cabraloff,
Western Region Manager Aline Maksoudian, SCRC member Helen Haig, Lily Balian,
Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan, Diyana Danielian, and SCRC member Al
Cabraloff